When Paul McDonald decided to try out for American Idol, he never really thought about taking home the top prize. But at age 26, the lead singer for the well-regarded southeastern rock band the Grand Magnolias still found himself playing frat parties to pay the bills, and decided a stint on the nation’s most popular talent competition might help change his lot in life.

In his freewheeling Idoloonies interview, Paul breaks down the highlights of his Idol run: How he and fellow semifinalist Kendra Chantelle cooked up their memorable duet of “Blackbird” in Vegas (and their subsequent recording of the duet “Like You Loved Me Then“); why his preparations for “Rocket Man” turned into “a big cluster of craziness”; and which of the songs he performed in the competition he’d once played at Bonnaroo. He also dishes the sinking feeling of discovering one of his Idol song choices had been previously covered by season 8’s Adam Lambert, the reason he stopped watching the show once he reached the Top 13, and a theory about why his dancing on the Idol stage might have looked a little weird.

Press play below to watch McDonald’s full Idoloonies video, and for all my reality news, recaps, and video, follow me on Twitter @MichaelSlezakTV!